Apocalypse Rising
In the Changeling infiltration In the Federation-Klingon War (2372-73) ' |image= |series= |production=40510-499 |producer(s)= |story= |script= Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe |director= James L. Conway |imdbref=tt0708499 |guests=Marc Alaimo as Dukat, Robert O'Reilly as Gowron, J. G. Hertzler as Martok, Casey Biggs as Damar |previous_production= Broken Link |next_production= The Ship |episode=DS9 S05E01 |airdate= 30 September 1996 |previous_release= (DS9) Broken Link (Overall) The Swarm |next_release= (DS9) The Ship (Overall) False Profits |story_date(s)=Unknown (2373) |group="N"}} |previous_story=(DS9) Broken Link (Overall) The Swarm |next_story=(DS9) The Ship (Overall) False Profits }} Summary Sisko approaches Starfleet Command with Odo's suspicion that Gowron, the Klingon leader, is really one of Odo's people — a Changeling. Sisko is then instructed to expose the Changeling. He is given four emitters that, when set up and activated around the Gowron impersonator, will force him to revert to his gelatinous state. The challenge is getting into Klingon territory while the warrior race is at war with the Federation — not to mention getting four individuals close enough to Gowron to expose him. Bashir solves this problem by surgically altering Sisko, Odo, and O'Brien to look like Klingons, while slightly altering Worf's appearance so he won't be recognized. The foursome is taken into enemy territory on Gul Dukat's Klingon Bird-of-Prey, while Worf drills the group on Klingon behavior. Dukat also creates Klingon identities for the team and adds them to the list of candidates for the Order of the Bat'leth — an honor that will be bestowed by Gowron himself. The men plan to use their emitters on Gowron during the ceremony. Dukat's ship arrives at their destination, where he leaves Sisko, Odo, O'Brien, and Worf on their own. The Klingons arrive at the Hall of Warriors, where the Ceremony of Commendation has begun. Sisko and the others blend in as best as they can until General Martok — Gowron's right-hand man — arrives, meaning Gowron won't be far behind. They hurry to set up their emitters, but Martok seemingly recognizes O'Brien, who is able to fool Martok into believing they fought side-by-side in battle. No sooner is O'Brien in the clear than a drunken Klingon bumps into Odo, causing him to drop his emitter. Another Klingon picks it up, demanding to know what it is. Worf hurries over and pretends the emitter is a prize from the battle. This is enough to send away the Klingon, just as Gowron enters the hall. Odo attempts to again set up his emitter, but a young Klingon has taken the designated spot. Acting every bit the warrior, Odo makes him move and finally accomplishes his task. Sisko is about to trigger the emitters when his name is called to accept his award. After he does, Sisko steps off the platform and prepares to finally activate the emitters. At that moment, he is knocked to the floor. Martok has recognized him and throws Sisko and the others into a cell. In private, Martok admits to Sisko that he also suspects Gowron has been replaced by a Changeling. Since the emitters have been destroyed, he says Gowron must be killed in order to prove his identity, and leads the four back into the hall. But when Worf attacks Gowron, the Klingon leader insists on fighting one-on-one — behavior typical of a real Klingon. Martok wonders aloud why Sisko doesn't just shoot Gowron, and Odo realizes he has no concept of honor — meaning he must be the real Changeling — and exposes Martok. Everyone fires their weapons at Martok, who promptly turns into goo. Gowron realizes that the Founders misled Odo into thinking he was a spy so that the Federation would eliminate him and allow Martok to take control. But Gowron is still doubtful the war will end, since Klingons never turn back from battle. Still, he agrees to call a temporary cease-fire, and sees that Sisko and the others are delivered safely back to Deep Space Nine. Errors and Explanations # Well, we don't know how exactly the Dominion plan was supposed to work and which options were available, but it seems a bit too convoluted to get Federation officers to kill a wrong Changeling deep inside the Klingon Empire. It would certainly have the Federation and the Klingon Empire too busy fighting each other to prevent a Dominion invasion! Nit Central # BrianB on Thursday, April 15, 1999 - 12:32 am: At the Order of the Bat'lett (a slumber party/boy scout merit badge ceremony), the faux-Martok, in an un-Changeling-like manner, instead of escaping, which Changelings do so well, he makes tentacles to strangle Odo. Does this seem right? No Changeling ever harms another (I know, Odo broke that pact in 3rd season finale The Adversary) The fake Martok may be aware that Odo has had his shapeshifting abilities removed/suppressed, and therefore doesn’t qualify as a Changeling. # The Changeling could've found a more swift way to murder Odo, especially since Odo is a solid. We saw Laas impale a Klingon by morphing a sword. Perhaps the fake Martok wanted Odo to suffer a lingering death. # Finally all assembled Klingons open fire on faux-Martok. It took 75 VISIBLE phaser shots to destroy him. Perhaps double that figure if you can count the number of shots HEARD! Maybe Changlings are partly resistant to the effects of weapon emmisions. # Martok blew up in a big dust cloud. In 2nd season's Crossover, Alt-Odo went up like a big sack of water in ONE shot! Faux-Martok was expending energy to maintain his disguise. # Why did Sisko have to have a remote control to activate the shapeshifter-exposing polaron emitters (those miniature Dyson Spheres)? Keith’s (KAM) nephew Jon wondered why the polaron emitters had to be placed anywhere instead of just held? BrianB on Wednesday, April 28, 1999 - 2:41 am: Hey Keith, I may be totally wrong, but I think in the briefing it was mentioned (by Dax?) that long exposure to polaron emitters would harm human(oid) tissue, I think (Bashir) mentions treatment, and the usual smart-alec quip (O'Brien?). Again, I'm guessing in the dark, haven't watch the ep. in a year.Keith Alan Morgan on Wednesday, April 28, 1999 - 7:13 am: I believe it was said that two bursts of polaron radiation would be fatal, so they would only get one shot. I don't think any dialogue said they couldn't hold the emitters for that one shot. # Keith Alan Morgan on Tuesday, April 27, 1999 - 8:28 am: Worf says that Klingon warriors do not whisper. Well, that must make it tough for them to sneak up on their opponents. No doubt there are tons of examples of Klingons whispering, just off the top of my head, I can think of Worf teaching the Klingon boy to hunt in Birthright Part 2, and the Klingon captain to Worf toward the end of The Chase. Anonymous on Thursday, August 17, 2000 - 8:42 am: Re: Klingons and whispering. I don't think Worf meant to imply that Klingons NEVER whisper -- just that it was not typically Klingonesque to speak in soft tones, and if the men wanted to act like real Klingons, they needed to bluster with each other. # Harvey Kitzman on Thursday, September 21, 2000 - 8:35 pm: Quick nit: After Martok/Changeling strikes Sisko, he said that he knew that he recognized Sisko. Martok/Changeling made the recognition comment to O'Brien, not Sisko. Rene on Sunday, September 24, 2000 - 4:14 pm: That's not really a nit...He did encounter the four after he enters the room and got a good look at all of them. # Jesse on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 1:25 pm: No check is made for explosives by Gowron's bodyguards (something that Worf quickly accomplishes with a tricorder in TNG The High Ground) Josh M on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 11:03 am:''That we see. Just because we don't see scanning equipment doesn't mean that it's not there. ''Jesse on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 2:42 pm: When? Gowron walks right on in with his guards! If they were worth anything, they'd walk in first and secure the location before letting him enter. Major Kira's guard does this in The Darkness and the Light, checking her quarters before she's allowed to enter. Josh M on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 10:17 pm: When? For the hours before Gowron shows up. For all we know, that place is under constant surveillance and scanning. Just because the guards don't physically pull out tricorders to perform a sweep of a room doesn't mean it hasn't/isn't being done. Notes Category:Episodes Category:Deep Space Nine